On Monday, Russia’s Defense Ministry released an interview with Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former city councilman from Holyoke, Massachusetts, who is wanted in the U.S. on child pornography charges.
The interview appears to confirm earlier reports that Puello-Mota fled the United States and enlisted in the Russian military.
Puello-Mota is believed to have left the U.S. in January while awaiting trial in Rhode Island for possession of child pornography, in violation of a court order. He subsequently appeared in Russian military footage from February, which showed the capture of the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka.
In April, Russian regional authorities released a video of a man resembling Puello-Mota at an enlistment office, identifying him only as “Will.”
In the newly released video by the Russian Defense Ministry, Puello-Mota is seen in full combat gear and introduces himself as “Will” from Massachusetts, with the callsign “Boston.”
He mentions having served 10 years in the U.S. Air Force, several years in the Massachusetts National Guard, and two years as a city councilman. He attributes his decision to join the Russian military to his political experiences and the opportunity to apply his leadership skills.
U.S. media previously reported that Puello-Mota, who was a member of the U.S. National Guard, was separated from service in October 2022 due to the child pornography charges.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Puello-Mota is now serving as a recon-drone operator with the military’s Central group of forces, which is engaged in operations in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
The Russian Defense Ministry also referred to him as an “American with Russian citizenship” and a “former American citizen,” though it remains unclear whether Puello-Mota has officially renounced his U.S. citizenship.
In the video, Puello-Mota defended his actions, stating, “I don’t consider myself a traitor. The United States and Russia aren’t at war.”
